


Reflections

by Nicxan



Category: The Stanley Parable
Genre: Happy 4/27!, M/M, This one's one of those 'meta' stories
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-27
Updated: 2018-04-27
Packaged: 2019-04-28 13:36:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14450376
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nicxan/pseuds/Nicxan
Summary: Inspiration from an old draft helps Nicholas get past his writer's block. Stanley couldn't be happier about it.





	Reflections

‘ _What an exhausting day._ ’ Stanley sighed to himself and set down his bag at the door. The only thing that had kept him going that day was the promise of a hot cup of coffee in front of the television. Maybe if he asked nicely, he could ask his boyfriend to read something to him. That always relaxed him ... ‘ _Wait. No._ ’  
  
Nicholas was having enough issues getting his story past the outline - he didn’t want to make him feel any worse by pestering him for a reading of something his boyfriend just didn’t have. The last thing Stanley wanted to see was that now-familiar crestfallen look on Nicholas’ face. He’d simply ask for some cuddling instead. Problem solved.  
  
Just as he sat down with his cup of coffee and the remote, Stanley felt his phone buzz. ‘ _If this is work again ..._ ’ He fished out his phone and opened up the text.  
  
> Nicholas: I heard you come in. I’ll be up shortly. Just checking something. :)  
  
Thank goodness. Stanley took the moment to shut off his phone and stuff it back into his pocket. It’d be better if Nicholas just came up now, but he could still enjoy the peace and quiet for a few minutes.  
  
A few minutes turned into ten. Ten into twenty. Stanley glanced up at the clock now and again with a frown on his face. What was taking him so long? Normally, he was quick to rush to the door to say hello.  
  
He was just about to get up when he heard footsteps.  
  
“Stanley! You’ll never guess what I have - ooh, you’re going to love this, I guarantee it.” Nicholas rounded the corner with a grin on his face. He had a binder tucked under his arm. “Guess what it is!”  
  
‘ _What is it?_ ’ Stanley waited until Nicholas was in his line of view before signing. ‘ _Is it the new thing you’re working on? You figured it out?_ ’  
  
He flinched, and Stanley instantly regretted asking. “No, no, that’s not it at all. But -- look. I found the first story I worked on.” Nicholas bounded over and held out the binder. “It’s the parable! You know, the one you helped me with. The Stanley Parable. The first draft of it!”  
  
‘ _Really?! You’ve been trying to find that for years._ ’ Stanley took the binder and leafed through the pages carefully. Aside from some dust and some bent corners on the binder itself, it seemed to be in decent condition. ‘ _I remember this. This was fun!_ ’  
  
“Far from my best work, looking back on it. Some really ridiculous plot holes, really, but there’s so much to enjoy --” Nicholas sat next to Stanley and inched closer. Stanley didn’t stop him from flipping to different page (even though he was only half done reading the last one). “Remember the mind control facility? I was so proud of that design. Could you just imagine all of those monitor screens, lining the big room, and ...”  
  
‘ _I still think we should see about modeling it in a program or something, to actually make it. It would look great!_ ’  
  
“I’ve wanted to for a while, but this story is so old now, I’d need to tweak it a bit here and there.” Of course he would need to ‘tweak it’. It’s all Nicholas ever did with his writing - Stanley hoped for a day he’d actually finish something.  
  
“Like this part, with the countdown - do you think there’s enough weight to it? I’m not sure that it conveys that sense of absolute hopelessness. I’m thinking, maybe if we have it in a bigger control center, more room to run around in, it might ...” Stanley listened in silence, with a smile on his face, as Nicholas went on and on about the Parable. It had been too long since he had seen the passion in his eyes and the excitement in his voice.  
  
“Stanley! Do you have a pen? There are some extra pages in here. We can work on this together, if you want.”  
  
‘ _Sure, let me get it._ ’ Stanley scrambled over to the bedroom to grab a spare pen. Finally, finally, finally, he was writing again! At least showing some enthusiasm! He could still hear Nicholas hemming and hawing over his script and muttering to himself. That was how it should be.  
  
“Thank you,” Nicholas said as Stanley walked back. He took the offered pen and began to scribble. “Give me your thoughts. I really want the feedback -- you know, collaboration! It makes it much easier to brainstorm the best possible ideas.” Nicholas glanced down at Stanley with a smile.  
  
“If you can help me half as much as you did last time, I’m sure this will be simply fantastic. Are you sure you didn’t mind me naming the character after you? I know it’s rather odd, maybe, perhaps a bit too--” Stanley shook his head. At that, Nicholas’ eyes lit up.  
  
“Oh, this will take the world by storm! And ...” Nicholas trailed off. After a moment, he continued sheepishly. “... maybe I’ll learn how to do that ‘modeling’ you were talking about. It would be interesting to make it a game, wouldn’t it.”  
  
‘ _I think so!_ ’  
  
“Well, then, it’s settled, Stanley. Let’s start a new chapter of the Stanley Parable!” Another pause. “... I’ll need a _red_ pen too, if you please. Oh dear.”

**Author's Note:**

> 888 words was actually pretty easy this time around. Go figure. 
> 
> I had three drafts beforehand, the Narrator ranting about writer's block all three times, and then me getting stuck right after. ALSO go figure.
> 
> Happy 4/27, everyone!


End file.
